No Pain, No Gain
by boxdwellingzombie
Summary: Iggy wakes up, badly injured from a previous Eraser attack. Recalling how Gazzy took it upon himself to depart and follow the rest of the flock in hopes to save angel, he is torn between his anger for Max's rash decisions, and ensuring Gazzy's safety.


**Author Notes:** Hello there. First story, and I'm kinda anxious.  
I think it turned out okay, but it was intended to be a oneshot and I think the ending leaves it kind of open for more plot development.

So if things go okay, I might add more chapters.  
I apologise to any kind of..die-hard MR fans if I got place/enemy names wrong, I just went by what the manga told me..xD  
Also, I hope I got character's personalities right, and that they're not too OOC. ^^;

Anyways, reviews are openly accepted, as well is constructive criticism and I hope you enjoy reading it! :)

**Prompt music:** Run - Snow Patrol

**P.s.** - Thanks a bunch to Snow-Hawk-666 who somehow put up with me asking many assorted Maximum Ride questions. :D

* * *

A dull throbbing in the back of my head was making itself known. Eventually, its obnoxious pounding stirred me from my unconscious state.

I rolled over, feeling the moisture of the rain-dampened undergrowth mush against my slightly exposed back. I knew it had been raining, I could smell it still lingering in the air. As well as the obvious fact of which my clothes were soaked through to my skin.

The soil squelched as I sat up groggily, I opened my eyes and was greeted by that ever-present darkness I had known all my life. My brain suddenly registered today's earlier events as surges of pain ran throughout my body.

I felt my arms, in search of any clues to what was hurting so bad. I soon found three jagged welts that sliced deeply through my forearm, accompanied by the rough texture of what was no other than crusty, dried blood. I reached for my legs, and soon regretted doing so. I winced and retreated my hand from the claw-like cuts, the thick denim of my jeans clung heavily to my calves, soaked in blood which must have oozed from the wounds.

Ah, Erasers. That's right.

It all came flooding back. After Angel's disappearance a few days back, the remainder of the flock were reluctant to leave the Ehouse...Though Max sometimes insisted on going on 'one big rescue mission' in hopes of bringing her back.

This, to me (and sometimes Gazzy) was unpleasant news to hear. Because by 'rescue mission', she usually meant herself, Fang and Nudge risking their lives, being hunted down by Ari and his hoard of Erasers, getting critically injured and possibly never returning all because of the School conspiracy. Of course I offer to help, as does Gazzy with much appreciated enthusiasm, yet both of our efforts get declined each time.

Which makes me wonder if Max and the others consider us worthy of being part of our Flock or are we just thought of as dead weight?

So after days of Max's speeches, and her 'over-powering mother instinct which means she MUST bring Angel back' I caved. Gave in. I had had enough, so I let them continue with their reckless decisions. Though Fang was weary of going, I said he should...just in case.

Which left me and Gaz, or so I thought.  
After what seemed like a day of lounging around in an abnormally quiet house, I heard the faint beeping of my mobile phone which sounded from my room.

I jumped off the sofa, and almost jogged up the narrow staircase before reaching my door, and turning the handle.

Once inside, I walked over to my bedside table and grabbed the phone.  
I pressed the required button, and voice assistance was activated:  
"_A voice mail was received today, at 3:17pm.."  
_As the artificial voice continued stating information, I noticed the caller number was that of our very own house phone.

'_Strange...'_, I thought. The message was sent just over 2 hours ago...  
I tapped the buttons needed for the voice mail to replay it's self, as I held the phone anxiously to my ear.  
A boyish, child's voice sounded through the other end... '_G-Gazzy?'  
_  
"_Hey Igs, just thought I might tell you...that I won't be in the house for a while. I-I know you're pro'ly real mad right now, But don't be! Everything's fine, really..."_

Gazzy's voice paused briefly before continuing straight away;

_"Angel's like my little sis', and I really wanna know if she'll be okay, so I followed Max and the guys to help get her back. Because, truthfully...I'm sick of being left behind, and I want to prove to 'em that the Gasman CAN be the hero for once..."_

I didn't know what to say. I stared, wide-eyed at the hardwood floor of my room. I've got to hand it to him, Gazzy had guts but...I never knew he was just as annoyed with being left behind as I was.  
I was interrupted in mid-thought as the boyish voice proceeded talking.

_"So what I'm saying is, don't worry over me while I'm gone. We'll be back in no time, and everything will go back to being normal again! See ya, Igs – Take care!"_

And with that, the message ended.

I was irked with a few things about Gazzy's little 'hero stunt'. One being the fact that Max had influenced him, and could potentially get him killed, secondly was that he didn't want to tell me to my face. ..

But most of all was that no matter what, it had always been the two of us – even if we were being left behind. I had his back, and he had mine. No questions asked. He was like a little brother to me, and I had always thought he kind of looked up to me in the same way.

My decision had been made, I was going with them, and nothing could stop me.


End file.
